Commode-chair



(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

E. OTTENHEIMER.

GOMMODE CHAIR.

- Patented Novl 22,1881.

WITNE55E5 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Model.)

E. OTTENHEIMER.

GOMMODE CHAIR.

Patented Nov. 22,1881.

INVENTR- NA Firms. mmumagmwn wma-gam n c llNrrn STATES Arent vtrice.

COMMODE-CHAIR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 249,788, dated November22, 1881.

Application filed September 16, 1981. (No model.)

o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMANUEL OTTENHEIM- ER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and usefnl Improvements inCommode-Chairs; and I hereby declare the following to he a full, clear,l

The object of my invention is to construct a l chair-commode whichtocasual inspection shall afford no evidence of being` intended for anyother purpose than that of an ordinary chair, but which shall heprovided with means for readily attaching a chamber-pot, and also withmeans for preventing the escape of eftluvia.

My invention will he fully understood from the following description Ais a chair, which may be of the ordinary construction, except thattheseat is made in two parts, B and C, the upper part, C, heilig hingedto the part B, to serve as a lid, as shown. Thus the lid C forms theordinary chair-seat, and the part B, which is provided with a hole, c,the commode-seat. The sides of the hole are flaring for about one-halfthe thickness of the seat and vertical the rest of the way through. p

D is a cover for thehole, made with its edge flaring to coincide withthe corresponding part of the hole c, and it is made of about half thethickness of the commode-seat B, whereby,

when it is placed in position, lthe remainder of the hole forms a recessbelow it, as shown in Fig. 2.

E is a platform for the support of the chamber-pot F. This platform ismade square and of smaller dimensions than the hole lv,whereby it mayenter the same, and it is also of about half the thickness of the seatB, to the end thatl both the cover D and the platform may cccu py thehole at the same time and lie flush the one with the upper and the otherwith the lower surface ofthe commode-seat D, as represented in Fig. 2.

I I are elastic bands supporting the platform and connecting it with thelower side of the seat B, to which the said bands are firmly secured attheir ends.

. To convert the device into a commode the platform is drawn downward inopposition to the rubber bands by means of a ring, u, on the platform,and the chamber-pot inserted, when it is borne up against the seat B bythc elastic force of the bands.

As above stated, one of the objects of my invention is to have thedevice, when not used as a commode, give as little outward indication aspossible of being adapted for that purpose. l accordingly so constructthe various parts that when the chambenpot is omitted the bottom of thechair, comprising the lower faces of the seat B, platform E, elasticbands I, and the vai ious fastening devices shall all be flush with eachother. This .I effect in the following manner: In the bottom of theplatform I form lateral recesses t, of a width and depth equal to thewidth and thickness of the rubber bands I, or, more accuratelyspeaking', of the rubber bands I and a belt ot' canvas, s, whichencompasses each band at the center to form a stay for eyelets r,through which screws q are driven to secure the bands to the platform.Recesses t are alsoformed in the lower side of the seat D, in line withthe recesses t in the platform, and of a breadth and depth just equal tothe breadth and thickness of the rubber bands. These bands are securedtothe scat in the line of the'aforesaid recesses, and accordingly, whenpermitted to do so, they lie snugly within the same, holding 'theplatform E up in the hole n.

Any suitable means may be employed for attaching the endsof the rubberbands to the seat; but as it is essential that the fastening be verysecure, and highly desirable that it shall be easy of application andshall not extend below the lower face of the seat B, I have contrivedadevice for the purpose, of which the following is a description:

Gr is a metal plate, having transverse ribs l, one at each end andothers at intermediate points, lea-ving spaces or recesses p of properIOC dimensions to receive the elastic bands. All the ribs have holes othrough them for the passage of screws orrivets. The number of bandsordinarily employed is three, in which case two intermediate ribs wouldbe formed on the plate, a'ording three recesses, as shown in Fig. 4. Ineach recess are studs u of the same height as the ribs r, and preferablythree in number, in the form of a triangle, as represented. The end ofthe band is provided with a facing of canvas, s', and has eyelet-holes rthrough it of the proper size and number and in the proper position toreceive the studs n. H is a second plate of the same length and breadthas the plate G, and has holes 0 registering with the holes o in the ribso. Y

To apply this device the ends of the rubber bands are placed in therecesses p of the plates G, bringing the studs n through the eyeletholesi", and the plate H then laid over all, as illustrated in Fig. S, whichrepresents a crosssection taken on the line 8 ot' Fig. 4 with the plateH added. The whole device is then set into a recess formed in the bottomofthe commode-seat B,in the proper position to bring the recesses'p inline with the recesses t', and of a depth equal to the thickness of theplate G, with its ribs, and the plate H combined, and secured in placeby screws or rivets passing through the holes above referred to in thetwo plates.

In order to prevent the escape of effluvia around the upper edge of thechamber-pot, I providethelower face of the seat B with a packing, m, offelt or any other suitable material, set into a recess around the marginof the hole u with its lower side tlush with the bottom of the recessest.

In hinging the lid C to the seat B care should be taken that the. hingesdo not project above the seat.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In achair-eomniode, theconibination,with a chair-seat having a holethrough it, of a platform to support a chamber-pot below the hole, andelastic connections between the platform and the seat. holding the saidplatform up to the seat until forced down for the insertion of thechamber-pot, substantially as described.

2. In a chair commode, the combination, with a chair-seat having a holethrough it, of a platform of smaller dimensions than the hole to supportthe chamber-pot, and elastic connections between the platform and seat,holding the platform up in the hole until forced down for the insertionof the chamberpot, substantially as described. 1

3. In a chair-commode, the combination of a chair-seat having a holethrough it, a cover of the proper dimensions to close the hole, but ofless thickness than the seat, whereby, when it is inserted, a recessexists below it, a platform of smaller dimensions than the hole and lessthickness than the seat to support the chamber-pot, and elasticconnections between the platform and seat, holding the platform up intothe hole until it is forced down for the insertion of the chamber-pot,substantially as described.

4. In a chair-commode, the combination of a chair-seat, B, provided witha hinged lid, C, and having a hole through it, a cover, D, for the saidhole, of less thickness than the seat B, a packing, m, of felt or othersuitable material, secured tothe lower side ot' the seat B 'around themargin of the hole, a platform for the chamber-pot of smallerdimensionsthan the hole and of less thickness than the seat B, andelastic connections between the platform and seat, holding the platformup into the hole until it is forced down for the insertion of thechamber-pot, substantially as described.

5. The device for securing the elastic bands at each end to the seat ofthe chair, consisting of the plate G, having transverse ribs l, providedwith holes 0 for the passage of screws or rivets, and having recesses pbetween the ribs to receive the bands and studs n in the recesses, ot'the' same ,height as the ribs I, to pass through holes in the bands, incombination with the plate H,provided with holes o', registering withthe holes o in the ribs l, substantially as described.

6. rlhe combination ofthe chair-seat B, having the hole e through it andlateral recesses t on its lower side, packing m, set into the lower faceof the seat B flush with the bottoms of the recesses t', platform E,having lateral recesses t ou its lower side, elastic bands I, fittingthe recesses t and t', and each provided with eyelet-holes at its centerand also with eyeletholes near its ends, screws or rivets g, securingthe bands to the platform, and devices for seeming the said bands attheir ends to the seat, each comprising the plate Gr, having the ribs l,holes o, and studs n, and the plate H, having holes o', registering withthe holes o, said fastening devices bein g placed in recesses formed inthe lower side of the seat B, with their lower faces flush with thelower face ofthe seat, and being secured in place by screws or rivets,substantially as described.

EMANUEL OTTENHEIME t.

In presence of y l?. G. DYRENFoR'rH,

NVM. H. DYRENFoR'rI-I.

IOO

IIO

